Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards was the Democratic Party's candidate for Vice-President in 2004. He hopes to head the ticket in 2008...
Born in Seneca, S.C. in 1953, John Edwards made a national name for himself in 2004 as one of the Democratic Party’s most populist and charismatic presidential candidates. He is the director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law (where he earned his law degree).
While Edwards has become rich as a trial lawyer and, more recently, investment fund manager, he points back to his experience growing up with parents who worked in North Carolina textile mills as a way of identifying with common laborers and the less fortunate in America. In 1998 Edwards defeated a sitting incumbent, Republican Lauch Faircloth, to become a U.S. Senator for North Carolina.
Abortion and Stem Cell Research
John Edwards is a strongly pro-choice candidate. He has stated that the government “should not decide for women on partial-birth abortion” and he argues that the right to abortion is constitutionally protected. Edwards voted against criminal penalties for harming an unborn fetus during the commission of a crime, against the continuation of a ban on abortion on military bases, and against a ban on partial birth abortions. He has also been an advocate of increased federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
Poverty
Edwards has consistently said that eliminating poverty is one of his primary political goals. That goal, the elimination of poverty, has helped shaped his policies on education, health care, taxes, and crime.
Education
Despite his wealth, Edwards sent all four of his children to public schools. His education plan would reward teachers in successful public school that serve poor children with a federal supplement of as much as $15,000 per year. He is opposed to federally funded vouchers for parents who want to send their children to private schools. He advocates the continued desegregation of public schools in America.
Edwards has said that higher education should be provided free of charge in America and has suggested making at least the first year of community colleges and public universities tuition free in exchange for part time student work.
Health Care
Edwards is a strong advocate of national health care coverage. He has gone so far as to threaten to revoke health care coverage for members of Congress if he cannot get a national health care program passed into law during his first year as President. Edwards would exclude the pharmaceutical and insurance industries from discussions on the shape of a national health care program.
Immigration
Edwards supports the creation of an avenue to citizenship for undocumented immigrants; but they should have to pay a fine and learn English before becoming citizens.
Taxes and Social Security
Edwards is a strong proponent of rolling back the Bush Administration’s tax cuts. He has said that he would raise taxes on the richest of the rich in order to fund increased government spending on poverty programs and education. He is opposed to future benefit cuts in social security. He also opposes the privatization of social secutiry and says he would increase the payroll tax to cover all earned income, not just the first $95,000. He has suggested doing away with capital gains tax and taxing investment income as ordinary income.
Gay Marriage
Edwards opposes the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. He stops short of outright support for gay marriage, but supports benefits for domestic partners.
The Iraq War
Edwards voted in favor of military action in Iraq but has since apologized for that vote. He supports Congressional efforts to set a time table for withdrawal from Iraq.
Conclusion
Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, have led a very public life over the past four years during which Elizabeth has struggled with breast cancer and yet continued to campaign with her husband. Edwards is generally considered one of three frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. He is well organized in Iowa and hopes that the Iowa Caucus and South Carolina Primary will boost him to true frontrunner status.
John Edwards' Official Site: johnedwards.com
